The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Denver Broncos in the wildcard round on Sunday, January 8. Unfortunately for them, they will be down one of their biggest offensive weapons. No, I’m not talking about Ben Roethlisberger. The quarterback is expected to be fine for the game. Instead, Pittsburgh will have to win without their top running back. The Steelers have placed Rashard Mendenhall on the injured reserve list as a result of a torn ACL. Without him, the Steelers will need other backs to step up and run the football if they want to advance past the Broncos.

Mendenhall suffered the torn ACL in the regular season finale against the Cleveland Browns. Mendenhall had just eight carries at the time he suffered the injury. The diagnosis was later confirmed by the Steelers and the move to place him on the IR list was done swiftly. Mendenhall will have surgery later in January and need at least several months to recover from the ACL injury. However, there is still reason to believe he will make a full recovery. ACL injuries can vary in how long they take to heal but the hope is that Mendenhall will be able to play in the 2012 season opener. With the time of the injury, that will be a question mark. But he will see the field in 2012.

Without Mendenhall, the Steelers are down their top rusher. He leads the team with 928 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns. His 228 carries are more than twice the total of any other running back on the team. Isaac Redman figures to take the bulk of the carries against Denver. He ran the ball 19 times against the Browns in the regular season finale and has 479 rushing yards on the season. The performance of Redman will be key for the Steelers, especially given the sore ankle for Roethlisberger. But he has proven himself to be a capable backup and should perform well in this game. But even if that happens, the Steelers will still miss the big play potential of their top back. More than ever, the Steelers will have to rely on their stellar defense.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot to play for in Week 17. They are currently 11-4 and tied with the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the AFC North. Baltimore owns the tiebreaker but faces a tough Week 17 test against the Cincinnati Bengals. Meanwhile, the Steelers have a trip to face the Cleveland Browns. If the Steelers win and the Ravens lose, Pittsburgh will win the division and earn a bye. That’s not out of the realm of possibility. Pittsburgh could get a big boost if quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is able to play.

Roethlisberger has been dealing with an injured ankle since the last time his team faced the Browns. That was all the way back on Thursday, December 8. Roethlisberger played in the following game against the San Francisco 49ers but was visibly limited. He sat out in Week 16 as his team drilled the lowly St. Louis Rams. Now, the hope is that his high ankle sprain is rested enough to allow him to play in the game. That could be a huge boost for a team hoping to win the division. Roethlisberger will be watched closely throughout the week but there is a real chance he can play. If that happens, beating the Browns should be no problem for the Steelers.

Roethlisberger has been pretty solid in the 2011 season. After a rough start he has bounced back to throw 21 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. Big Ben has struggled against elite defenses but Cleveland doesn’t really fit that bill. The Browns are in the midst of a disastrous 2011 season and would have a hard time winning this game no matter who was under center for the Steelers.

Pittsburgh might ultimately decide to rest Roethlisberger another week if he is still hobbled. Their playoff spot is secure and Pittsburgh has been able to win on the road in the playoffs before. If it is in the best interest of the team to not risk Roethlisberger’s health, they won’t do it. Pittsburgh knows it is good enough to be successful in the playoffs on the road as well as at home. If Big Ben can play, he will. But if he is still sore, I expect the Steelers will rest him.

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On Friday, Dec. 23, ESPN’s Adam Shefter reported that Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is a game-time decision for Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Rams. If Roethlisberger is unable to go, then backup Charlie Batch would likely get the start.

Some of my fellow Rams fans might think I’m crazy, but I hope Big Ben plays. The Rams pass rush has been one of the few bright spots on the team this season, and I can’t wait to see the unit go after the Steelers’ wounded offensive line.

The only chance the Rams have of winning this game is if they can force Roethlisberger into turning the ball over. The Rams will have defensive ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn going after Roethlisberger early and often, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team blitz even more than it has already this season.

I think the Steelers will be tempted to throw more if Roethlisberger plays. With Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown lining up opposite of the Rams’ makeshift secondary, I can see Roethlisberger standing in the pocket trying to get the ball downfield. That’s where the Rams have a chance to cause Pittsburgh some problems. It’s a risky strategy, but it’s the only hope the Rams have against the mighty Steelers.

In reality, I fully expect the Steelers to come out and run the ball at the Rams regardless of who starts at quarterback. It’s no secret that the Rams have the worst rush defense in the NFL. Even though Rashard Mendenhall has struggled at times this season, the Steelers should be able to open up some holes for him. In fact, if the Steelers are determined enough, I think Mendenhall could easily run for 150 yards on the Rams.

However, if Roethlisberger plays, I think the Steelers might be aggressive enough for the Rams to take advantage of the situation. I know it’s strange for me to say that, but if Roethlisberger is as immobile as he looked against the 49ers, then the Rams have enough talent on the defensive line to cause some problems. I know this is wishful thinking, but at this point in a 2-12 season, that’s all I have.

The smart thing for the Steelers to do would be to have Roethlisberger rest his sprained ankle, but who knows if that will happen. I guess I’ll find out on Saturday.

Derek Ciapala has been a Rams fan since he was a child and the team was in Los Angeles. His favorite Rams moments include Flipper Anderson’s 336-yard receiving night against the Saints in 1989, and their miracle 1999 run to their first Super Bowl victory. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala.

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It is game-eve, the day before the Pittsburgh Steelers face the St. Louis Rams on December 24, 2011. Here’s my Steelers wish list for Santa.

Dear Santa,

What I want for Christmas is simple. I want the Steelers to earn the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs. I know the Steelers were bad last week. The #1 seed was gift-wrapped and ready to be taken. But somehow the Steelers lost to the mediocre San Francisco 49ers. The Steelers played badly, but their intentions were good. They were in the spirit of giving instead of taking (turnovers). Fans in San Francisco (those not newly on the bandwagon) haven’t had football thoughts at this time of year for decades. The Steelers have given them a chance to dream of long-forgotten glory. Even the referees chipped in to help the 49ers by missing an obvious 3rd down reception by Antonio Brown and curiously confusing a muffed punt with interference. But I’m not bitter.

So, the Steelers need some help getting the #1 seed, Santa. Can you please give us fans the following to help them out?

A Houston Texans loss

Thank you, Santa and the Indianapolis Colts. This is already accomplished. See? This isn’t so hard.

A sensible win against the Rams

The Steelers should rest Ben Roethlisberger, at least for this game to let his ankle heal up. Santa, send Coach Mike Tomlin a reminder to let Charlie Batch (or Dennis Dixon) hand the ball off to RBs Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman. The Rams give up the most rushing yards in the NFL. The game plan is simple – ram it down their throats and walk away with a W. There is no need for Roethlisberger to face Chris Long and the Rams pash rush. The Rams have won one game on the road; the Steelers have only lost one game at home. Santa, you shouldn’t have to work too hard on this one. But you could put some coal in Steven Jackson’s stockings to slow him down.

A Baltimore Ravens loss

The Ravens fans are cawing because their embarrasing loss to the San Diego Chargers didn’t cost them the AFC North crown, yet. This week they play the Cleveland Browns in Baltimore. Yes, Santa, it is asking a lot. But can you help Seneca Wallace and Peyton Hillis score? And can you teach the Browns how to tackle Ray Rice before he gains 200 yards? It is hard to imagine what Ravens fans would do if the Ravens lose this one. Let’s find out!

A New England Patriots loss

The Patriots, with no real defense, still looked impressive defeating the Denver Broncos and the Tim Tebow express last Sunday. On Saturday they are at home against their division foes, the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have played better in the second half of the season. Santa, can you help C.J. Spiller, Brandon Marshall, and company to come out victorious? You will probably have to tackle Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski yourself, but that’s OK with me. Use your sleigh to knock down Tom Brady’s passes. Whatever you can do, I will appreciate it.

That’s it, Santa. Just a few items on this fan’s list. Forget the milk and cookies. If you can help the Steelers out, I’m sure there will be a Primanti Brothers sandwich and an Iron City for you. Here we go, Santa, here we go!

Sean Durity is a Terrible Towel twirling Steelers fan living in Atlanta. He grew up cheering the 1970s dynasty and appreciates the organization’s excellence even more as an adult.

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Pittsburgh Steelers offensive players come with a high level of risk in Week 16. The Steelers are going up against a horrible St. Louis Rams team, and the team might feel that Charlie Batch could win the game as the starting quarterback. As Ben Roethlisberger tries to recover from a high left ankle sprain, the Steelers could pull in the sails on the way to the 2012 AFC Playoffs.

It was reported today (Dec. 21) that Roethlisberger could even sit out the last two weeks of the season to aid in his recovery. Center Maurkice Pouncey is also going to miss another game this week, leaving the Steelers relying on other players to beat the Rams on Saturday (Dec. 24). What this means is that it is scrambling time for fantasy football owners relying upon the Steelers players to survive in league playoffs.

The Steelers are still trying to win the AFC North and grab one of the top two spots in the AFC Playoffs. It might not happen though, even with wins in the last two weeks against the Rams and Cleveland Browns. The team lost both games to the Baltimore Ravens this year, losing the head-to-head tie-breaker in the process. Now the Ravens have to lose to either Cleveland (Week 16) or the Cincinnati Bengals (Week 17) for the Steelers to have a shot.

Now it looks like Batch is the guy that will throw passes to Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Heath Miller at least in Week 16. That’s a tough position for fantasy owners to find themselves in, because it might lead to a need to bench Wallace and Brown for the week. They are certainly very talented receivers, but you have to wonder if Batch is going to get them the ball or if the Steelers will rely on the ground game and defense to win this one.

Rashard Mendenhall is a must-start against the Rams, likely giving him the chance to rush for around 125-140 yards on the ground. He could also get in the end zone twice if the offense gets fed through him the entire day. Everyone else on the Steelers is a risky start this week, so think hard about the choices on your roster before relying on Wallace or Brown to win your league.

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Sources:

Week 15 NFL Scores

Defensive Team Leaders

Yahoo! Fantasy Football

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